Bow Wow has revealed he was addicted to cough syrup over a decade ago and “almost died” from it.

The 31-year-old rapper has begged his young fans to stay away from drugs in the wake of Mac Miller’s death from a suspected overdose last week after he himself became addicted to Lean – a homemade street drug made up of soda, hard sweets and prescription cough syrup – while on tour over a decade ago.

Taking to his Twitter account, he wrote: “To the youth- Stop with these dumb ass drugs. Im going to let something out. When me and omarion worked on FACE OFF album. I was high off lean everyday! When yall saw me on BET going off on torae i was high off lean. My attitude everything changed. My fans started to…

“Turn on me my family too. I never promoted lean in my songs. The whole time i was on the UCP tour with chris I WAS SIPPING 4’s atleast 7 times a day. I was addicted until our show in Cincinnati.. i came off stg and passed out woke up in the hospital i was having withdraws

“I never felt a pain like that ever. It was summer but i was walking round with 3 hoodies on because i was so cold. I missed the chicago show of that tour baltimore show BECAUSE I WAS F***ING HIGH AND SICK!!!! that sh*t is not cool and i was doing it to be cool! (sic)”

The ‘Shortie Like Mine’ hitmaker has admitted his stomach will “never be the same” again after he came off the drug but feels lucky that he’s still alive.

He added: “Kick that sh*t! Be a good son or daughter. Be the best you. Ima start being more vocal. We gotta save the youth from going out early.

“Parents watch your kids. Explain to them. We want yall to live man. I almost died f***ing with syrup. To this day im affected my stomach will never be the same and it hasnt been. DRUG FREE IS THE WAY TO BE! smarten up tighten up out here. We cant lose no more of you. Not one! I love all yall. The young artist all the kids around the world.. dont follow a trend. Break the cycle. PEACE

“Go back and watch the face off show BET gave us! Look how dumb i looked. My ranting i was angry every day. They try to protect the truth by saying i was dehydrated… nawww bro. I WAS HIGH OFF PROMETHAZINE CODEINE! Actavis. SAY NO TO THESE DRUGS (sic)”